No, not in the sense that it made me a paedophile. That's neither the point, nor the case (except that I kept imagining quite vividly what Lolita might look like – I've settled for the mental image of a tween-aged Brooke Shields eventually... as did everyone...)
No, actually I'm talking about the fact that this book left me in a state of utter emotional disarray – that semi-psychotic state of mind you usually only feel after binging on psychoactives.
I somehow just kept springing every trap that Nabokov set up for the reader (except that I didn't believe for one second that HH might end up shooting Lolita – but then again, I never fell for HUMBERT's traps anyway).
To put it bluntly: Even though it was rather clear to me from the very start that HH was nothing but a sod, I couldn't help but sympathise with the character and start to regard Lo as this profoundly evil cunt (that reminded me so much of girlfriends with whom I had ugly breakups).
On the other hand, I knew that I was totally in the wrong, since we never really get to know Dolores anyway.
What are your experiences in that regard?
>>8190830
the stranger
[/spoiler]my diary desu[/spoiler]
>>8190885
Good call, actually.
Dayum. Too many Lolita threads.
And this ain't even a Lolita thread.
>>8190830
"Meditations on the First Philosophy" by Descartes.
All the Deus Deceptor stuff encouraged me to descend into paranoia and psychosis, believing that the omnipotent demon is controlling me and that the external world does not exist.
Still kinda possible.
Good times.
Your post kind of reminded me of reading The Secret History. By the end I felt as though I had fallen into the very same perception trap that the main character had just because I shared a lot of his insecurities.
>>8190830
>mental image of a tween-aged Brooke Shields
>claims not to be a pedo
Probably selected short stories by Chekhov and his four famous plays. Shit made me depressed and sent me to the psychiatric ward.
what are the philosophical mindfucks of literature? like evangelion and serial experiments lain
>>8190830
Dubliners freaked me out (Especially The Dead and Eveline)
Fifth Head of Cerebus made my reoccurring nightmare worse
>>8192596
Dolores is supposed to be pretty unremarkable and plain looking anyway, according to hh, not like a literal model
>>8193530
Some kind of babby's first 2deep4u pretentious shit
>>8194025
I beg to differ. She's a nymphet and a nymphet is not supposed to be "plain" looking. She's supposed to emanate a certain sexual energy, which couldn't be described in terms of "prettiness".
>>8190830
Gulliver's travels, 1984, Clockwerk Orange, Blindness and Seeing made me lose faith in humanity, so when I got to Nabokov, it was just sensible chuckles for me.
>>8194528
i'm basically quoting HH/Nabokov on that...HH makes up that nymphet energy shit to make it sound like it's not his fault, the usual deal, HH says that Lo isn't very special looking which is why no one thinks she's not his daughter when traveling etc.
>>8193530
foucault's pendulum is quite good
>>8195629
Yeah, Foucalt's Pendulum is awesome. The patrician equivalent to Dan Brown crap.
>>8194528
>>8195620
Might indeed be another one of those Nabokovian snares. The thing is: Whatever HH is saying, he's constantly either trying to exculpate himself in one way or another or he's trying to arouse a sense of pity or sympathy.
And yet, there's always the possibility that HH is being authentic, even if only momentarily: He might indeed have come to the realisation that he DID love Lolita truly and deeply, after seeing her again – but he might as well not, since he confesses to never actually having known her just a few pages later... there's no way to tell.
>>8191661
Why is there so much discussion about Lolita happening lately?
>>8192164
that's not really the point of the meditations, and also descartes sucks.
>>8190830
The Confidence-Man, in the sense that Melville seems to be fucking with you on every page.
>>8198340
Summer
Nobody here will have read it, but Jasper Jones. It's aussie and has themes of teenage suicide, rape, abuse and it's just a pretty fucked up book. Tbh I'm scared of rereading it. Made me feel sick for a while.
>>8198340
Probably what this guy says: >>8198920
We're going to get an influx of shitposters and newfags, but some will stick around due to a genuine interest in reading and they'll discover the starter kits, which plenty have Lolita highlighted as a good entry-level novel.
>>8198359
Is it a difficult book to read? I remember listening to a Harold Bloom lecture on Moby Dick and he said he found it completely unbearable and unreadable. He didn't really elaborate on why that was but I assume it's because it's either a very difficult book or it's just very sloppy and in cohesive. What do you think of it, my man?
>>8199109
As a matter of fact, this isn't even a Lolita thread but Lolita is indeed a good example of "the author's fuckin with me" by means of a highly unreliable narrator. In that regard, however, it's definetely LESS "entry level" than, say, "American Psycho"
>>8199109
>Is it a difficult book to read?
If you like Moby-Dick, you won't have any trouble. Melville is mainly exploring uncertainty and trust, and he's extremely thorough with the theme—everywhere from the characters and the setting to the author and the narrator. It has an experimental, absurdist, and modernist feel. Almost like an anti-novel.
I don't know why Bloom found it unreadable; I'd guess he thought it was sloppy and incohesive. But seeing how it was published on April 1st, and the entire narrative takes place on April 1st, you could just as easily argue that Melville had a tight rein on this one and is intentionally fucking with readers rather than unintentionally. I'd read some reviews and maybe the first chapter before diving in. It's definitely not a book that everyone will like.
>>8199109
>Is it a difficult book to read?
Most definitely not!
the nauseating effects of sartre's short stories echo in my subconscious a decade later.
>>8199179
in this respect, I guess there is Faulkner's Sound and the Fury which is like being poked with a cattle prod as a llama
>>8190830
FWIW, 1984 destroyed my soul.
>>8192164
If the only thing standing between you and a "descent into paranoia and psychosis" is some book, then I doubt your troubles are over.
>>8190885
Wait, was Meursault supposed to be the bad guy? I'm not sure what you mean.
>>8201699
<spoiler> camus </spoiler> is the bad guy
>>8201704
I mean, all he did was fuck bitches and shoot arabs. I thought Mersault was supposed to be the hero...
>>8201474
why that?
House of leaves got me good. Weeks later I'd still dream of impossible spaces and dark mazes. Plus the poems and texts after the main story is finished are quite nice.
R.A.W's prometheus rising is an excellent work although not a fiction. I'd recommand it for those who like to theorize the human mind.
Clive Barker's books are good but while they're far from being mindfuck tier, he sometimes introduces through his prose some really interesting ideas. So I'd recommand these too.
I got The stranger somewhere in my room, never read it. How/why is it so acclaimed ?
>>8202934
House of Leaves may be hipstery but it's a fun little piece of mindfuck
>>8201267
Can you recommend any particular ones?
>>8194025
So what you're trying to say is that Lolita is not even an actual Loli?
fml
Finnegans Wake
Tonight I had terrible problems with falling asleep, because of the uncommonly high temperature. I've been reading "The Magus" just before I went to bed. For two hours I was trying to fall asleep and I managed to get into this half-awake half-asleep state.
During these two hours I heard voices and laughter outside, plus I felt that sometimes stung me in my arm. I was so tired I was sure that I'm on Phraxos and Conchis is trying to trick me.
It's not the book per se that fucked my mind at that time, however. It was more the combination of this high temperature and the last read book.
It was terrible though. Had to take some pills to finally fall asleep.
>>8206363
>half-awake half-asleep state.
(I love this state. it is in this that I am the most creative. I do not know how to make it last longer nor even how to summon it though.
>>8206405
I always get it when I try to sleep for too long, after a few times of being on the verge of falling asleep. A few months ago I was in such a state and I was sure I'm getting absorbed by darkness around me. I was sure my heart is going to fail me at any moment and I couldn't breathe. I started taking pills after that. I almost had a mental breakdown.
Fucking university accommodation.
>>8206363
>The Magus
Revised or original? If the latter, where'd you get it?
>>8206484
Revised. Is the original better?
>>8206494
Haven't read either, but I was reading reviews of it that said the revised ending was inferior and I couldn't find a copy of the original.
>>8204770
heh...
